Chapter 26: Does anyone have any objections?

Jiang Yan and her assistant, Ling Meili, emerged from the conference room, their shoulders relaxed and their expressions relieved. They had just concluded a meeting with the Gem Company, and it had gone far better than they had anticipated.

As they walked down the hallway, Jiang Yan turned to Ling Meili and smiled. "Well done," she said. "That was a great negotiation."

Ling Meili grinned back at her. "Thanks, boss," she said. "I couldn't have done it without you."

Jiang Yan nodded, feeling a sense of pride in her team. "Now we can finally move forward with our plans," she said. "We can start designing and releasing our first set of jewellery."

Ling Meili's eyes sparkled with excitement. "I can't wait to see the finished products," she said.

Jiang Yan laughed. "Neither can I," she said.

Jiang Yan checked her watch and realized they had a bit of downtime before Hua Mei would come to their hotel to pick them up. They decided to use this time to freshen up and get ready for the rest of the day's activities. They were both looking forward to exploring the city and spending time with Hua Mei.

As it was their first time in the capital city, Hua Mei had insisted to show them around and take them to all the best spots. Also, while they were here, Jiang Yan plan to go to Hua Mei's studio Grace to check on the progress of her clothing designs that were set to be released in just two months. She couldn't wait to see how everything was coming along.

As they made their way back to their respective rooms, Jiang Yan planned to take a quick shower and change into something casual for her afternoon outing with Hua Mei.

Jiang Yan took a refreshing shower and changed into a comfortable outfit perfect for today's outing. After getting dressed, she joined Ling Meili, who was also ready and waiting for her in the hotel lobby.

As they were walking out of the hotel lobby, Jiang Yan suddenly felt a tug on her leg. She was startled and looked down to see a young boy hugging her tightly. The little boy called her "pretty sister," and although Jiang Yan was surprised at first, she soon recognized him as Feng Yuansheng's nephew Yun Cheng, whom she had met before in the mountains.

Jiang Yan looked up and saw Feng Yuansheng and his secretary Li Ming standing a few feet away, watching the exchange with amused expressions. She realized why they were all here and what this unexpected encounter meant.

Turning to Ling Meili, Jiang Yan said, "Meili, you go ahead with Hua Mei. I'll catch up with you later."

Ling Meili looked a bit confused at first, but then understanding dawned on her face. She nodded and headed to the hotel parking lot, where Hua Mei was waiting in her car.

Jiang Yan watched Ling Meili leave and turned back to Feng Yuansheng and Yun Cheng.

Feng Yuansheng approached Jiang Yan and asked if she had a few moments to spare. Jiang Yan knew that she couldn't avoid him, so she nodded, and they headed to a private booth at the café. As Jiang Yan sat there, arms crossed, staring at Feng Yuansheng, she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. But her thoughts were quickly interrupted when Yun Cheng, Feng Yuansheng's nephew, tried to talk to her.

To Jiang Yan's amusement, Yun Cheng tried to strike up a conversation with her. "Pretty sister, do you remember me? You saved me in the mountains," he said, beaming at her.

Jiang Yan smiled at the little boy's nick name for her as pretty sister and nodded. "Of course, I remember you. How could I forget this cute little boy?" she said, tousling his hair.

Yun Cheng beamed as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. "I wanted to thank you for saving me," he said, handing her the box.

Jiang Yan opened the box to find a beautiful handmade bracelet. She was touched by Yun Cheng's gesture and thanked him, ruffling his hair once again. "Thank you so much, Yun Cheng. I love it," she said, beaming at him.

Watching the interaction between Jiang Yan and his nephew, Feng Yuansheng cleared his throat, getting both of their attention. He turned to Jiang Yan and said, "Last time we spoke, our conversation remained incomplete. I owe you for saving Yun Cheng. What would you like?"

Jiang Yan held up the bracelet that Yun Cheng had given her and said, "I already got my reward. This beautiful gift is more than enough."

But Feng Yuansheng insisted, saying, "I want to give you something more substantial. What would you like?"

But Feng Yuansheng insisted on giving her something more. Jiang Yan knew him too well to refuse, but she didn't want anything expensive or lavish from him. She wanted to stay away from him and could only ask for something that wouldn't bind her to him in any way. After a moment of contemplation, she finally said, "Can you get me three tickets to Long Lei's concert?"

Feng Yuansheng frowned slightly but then nodded, ordering his secretary Li Ming to arrange the tickets for her. As Li Ming stepped out of the booth to make the arrangements, Yun Cheng hugged Jiang Yan tightly, trying to get her attention back.

Jiang Yan laughed and turned her attention back to the cute little boy, chatting with him happily as they completely ignore Feng Yuansheng.

After Jiang Yan left, Yun Cheng was pouting and looked visibly upset. "Third Uncle, I miss pretty sister already," he said with a sad face.

Feng Yuansheng noticed this and tried to cheer him up. "You'll meet Jiang Yan again soon. For now, you should be satisfied with what you have and wait patiently for our next meeting."

Yun Cheng nodded reluctantly, still feeling sad about parting ways with his pretty sister. He hugged his third uncle leaning onto his shoulder with a wistful expression.

As they were leaving the hotel, Feng Yuansheng couldn't help but feel like there was some kind of tension between him and Jiang Yan. He had noticed her deliberately ignoring him and keeping her distance. He wondered if she was still holding a grudge against him for something. But why? This was only the second time they had met.

***

The conference hall of KN Entertainment was buzzing with activity. The room was filled with people - the director, the producers, and various other members of the crew, all of whom were eagerly waiting for Long Lei and his manager Sister Lin Yiyun to arrive.

As the minutes ticked by, the director began to grow impatient. "Where are they?" he grumbled, tapping his foot impatiently.

Just as he was about to pick up the phone to call them, the door to the conference hall burst open. In walked Long Lei, his face set in a deep frown. He was followed closely by Sister Lin Yiyun and her assistant Du Hong.

The director's eyes narrowed as he took in Long Lei's appearance. "You're late," he snapped, his frustration evident in his voice.

Long Lei didn't reply, simply glowering at the director with a look of barely-contained anger.

Sister Lin Yiyun stepped in, trying to defuse the situation. "We're sorry for the delay," she said, her voice calm and measured. "Long Lei has had a difficult morning, but we're here now and ready to get started."

The director didn't look convinced, but he knew that he needed Long Lei for the project to succeed. "Fine," he said shortly. "Let's get started."

As the meeting began, Long Lei remained silent, his eyes fixed on a point in the distance. Sister Lin Yiyun and Du Hong listened intently, taking notes and offering suggestions where they could.

As the meeting progressed, the director shifted the topic to Long Lei's upcoming concert. "How's the preparation going? Is everything ready?" he asked.

Sister Lin Yiyun nodded, her expression calm and collected. "Yes, everything is settled," she replied.

The director nodded, pleased. "Good, good," he said. "Now, there's one more thing we need to discuss."

Sister Lin felt a twinge of apprehension. She had a feeling she knew what was coming.

"We've been discussing it amongst ourselves, and we think it would be a great idea to add a duet song at the end of the concert, featuring Long Lei and our new artist Bi Xiaohong," the director announced.

Sister Lin's heart sank as she glanced over at Long Lei. She knew how much he disliked the idea of working with Bi Xiaohong, but she also knew that she couldn't change the minds of the higher-ups.

The director continued on, discussing the logistics of the duet and how they could make it work. As the conversation went on, Long Lei remained silent, his expression growing more and more thunderous with each passing moment.

Finally, the director turned to the group and asked, "Does anyone have any objections to the plan?"

Long Lei spoke up, his voice cold and cutting. "I do."